Revenge dresses

On certain occasions, only a killer dress will get the point across that youre perfectly fine without him, says Claudia Croft

Sometimes, a woman doesn’t dress just to be pretty or sexy. Sometimes, a frock should do more than simply flatter. Sometimes, it must be devastating — not to the woman wearing it, but to everyone who sees her in it. I’m talking about the Revenge Dress. Used strategically, it has the power to make a love rival seethe, fill an ex-boyfriend with inconsolable regret, shame an enemy, prompt compliments from strangers and make the wearer feel like a queen.

The rules of revenge dressing are slightly different from the regular dressing-up code. You want attention, but on your own terms, and to elicit the correct response, your outfit must be micromanaged. First, the basics. The dress must fit — if it doesn’t, you could end up sending the wrong message entirely. If it’s too tight, people will say, “She’s been comfort eating.” Too loose, and they’ll quip, “She’s wasting away with despair.”